At noon on Saturday, Nov. 2, 121 racers set off down the Green River Narrows in Henderson and Polk Counties. Battling the cold November waters, racers fought for the top times in seven different categories: Long K-1 (single paddler – long kayak), K-1W (single paddler – women’s division), C-1 (sprint canoe), K-1 hand paddlers, Short K-1, Short K-1W and open canoe.
The Green River Narrows is a 2.9-mile section of the Green River located about 35 miles south of downtown Asheville. This section of the river is well-known to paddlers as one of the roughest white water runs in the Eastern United States.
Of the 121 racers, several competed in multiple categories, totaling 147 runs down the rapids.
An awards party followed from 6-11 p.m. in downtown Saluda, behind Thompson’s Store Ward’s Grill, honoring those who placed or set records in their respective divisions.
2013 Green River Narrows Race winners are as follows:
Long K-1: 1st – Pat Keller, 2nd – Dane Jackson, 3rd – Eric Deguil
Long K-1W: 1st – Katrina Van Wijk, 2nd – Adriene Levknecht, 3rd – Emily Shanblatt
C-1: 1st – Ben Fraker, 2nd – Jordan Poffenberger, 3rd – Brad McMillan
K-1 Hand paddlers: 1st – Geoff Calhoun, 2nd – Bill Clipper, 3rd – Jake Trotter
Short K-1: 1st – Isaac Levinson, 2nd – Dane Jackson, 3rd – Pat Keller
Short K-1W: 1st – Katrina Van Wijk, 2nd – Adriene Levknecht
Open Canoe: 1st – Jordan Poffenberger, 2nd – Brad McMillan
For full list of results, click here.
From Kayak Session:
By Shane Benedict
Here are a few fun facts about the Green Race thanks to John Pilson and the American Whitewater Green Race Information Page and boatingbeta.com.
> Pat Keller took 6 seconds off his personal best time to win this year.
> Katrina Van Wijk set a new Women’s Record by 14 seconds.
> Ben Fraker set a new C-1 Record by 10 seconds.
> There were 121 racers this year.
> There were 39 new Green Racers this year.
> 19 new people broke the 5 minute barrier. The Green Race Holy Grail.
> Rebecca “Mermaid” Lewis made some history being the first time ever female handpaddler racing.
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